DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Dennis “Duke” Nalon and Lloyd Ruby, who combined for 28 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race starts and 3,621 laps, are among the seven motorsports personalities who have been elected to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
The 27th induction ceremony will be held June 18 in Detroit.
Nalon, a top midget driver before World War II, made the first of his 10 Indianapolis 500 starts in 1938 (started 33rd and finished 11th). His best finish was in 1948 in the Kurtis/Novi – a race he could have won except for a late-race pit stop error. He set the qualifying record in 1949 (132.939 mph four-lap average) in earning the pole, and reset the qualifying record in 1951 (136.498 mph, including a one-lap record of 137.049 mph). He retired in 1954.
Ruby, also a notable midget driver, made 18 consecutive Indy 500 starts from 1960 to 1977, with a best finish of third in 1964 and best start of fifth in 1968 and ’66. He also won in sports cars, including Carroll Shelby’s Ford GT40.
Other inductees include Motocross and Supercross star Ricky Carmichael, Trans-Am champion Tommy Kendall, NASCAR driver Mark Martin, six-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson and six-time Baja 1000 winner Walker Evans.
Vautier added to Rolex 24 lineup
Tristan Vautier, the 2013 Verizon IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year and 2012 Indy Lights champion, has been added to the JDC/Miller Prototype Challenge class entry for the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
He last competed in the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October.
Road Racing Drivers Club honors two
Vic Elford, a versatile driver in the 1960s and ‘70s, was presented the Phil Hill Award by Road Racing Drivers Club president Bobby Rahal.
The award has been presented annually since 1993 to the person who has rendered outstanding service to road racing. It is named in honor of America’s first Formula One World Champion.
The Florida resident was the only driver to race every version of the Porsche 917 in his five years with Porsche. His career included being hired by Steve McQueen to drive the 917 at high speed for the movie "Le Mans" and narrating Michael Keyser's film "The Speed Merchants."
Rahal also presented Bill Warner, the force behind the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance since 1996, with the Bob Akin Award. It is given to a driver who has contributed to the sport of motor racing and the community at large.
Of note
The Rolex 24 At Daytona marks the 40th anniversary of BMW’s first race in the U.S., and the BMW Team RLL Z4s will race Nos. 24 and 25 in honor of the BMW 3.0 CSL race cars that debuted at the same race four decades ago. Graham Rahal co-drives the No. 24 entry. “The key to this race has always been getting to the finish and BMW always has been a reliable car,” said Rahal, who co-drove the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW to the overall victory in 2011. … The fourth John's March Against Stomach Cancer at Sonoma Raceway raised more than $15,500 for No Stomach For Cancer. Walkers, runners and even dogs took part in a symbolic march around the 2.52-mile, 12-turn road course, which is held in honor of John Cardinale, the long-time Sonoma Raceway spokesman who passed away in 2013 after a two-year battle with stomach cancer.